Opinion

Disability is something most people do not like to think about. But the unfortunate reality is this: the chances that you will become disabled are probably far greater than you realize. Studies show that a 20-year-old worker has a three in 10 chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age.

When I was growing up my mom stayed home. She worked, and worked, and worked. At home. She had 10 children. Twins were born at the end, myself and my sister Wendy. My mom was a master of talking on the phone, cooking, and carrying on multiple conversations with me or one or two of my siblings and looking out for us at the same time.

We at WAG (the Williston Animal Group) and Trained Dog Happy Dog are pleased to report that our Canine Play Day was a great success this year. We netted more than $2,500 for WAG’s mission of rescuing and finding new homes for abused and abandoned animals in the Williston area.

I taught freshman composition in the morning at Central Florida Community College in Chiefland then attended middle school in Bronson Tuesday afternoon. And I was schooled.

I know that sounds strange. But it’s the truth.

I went back to middle school because my 10-year-old son, Taylor, who is in fifth grade spent 40 minutes talking to me the night before about a presentation on nicotine that he had seen by a “real scientist,” Dr. Victor DeNoble.

My children were the first to blame. It was a way to keep up with them. Then Jenna McKenna, sports editor at the Chiefland Citizen, added to the blame when she introduced me to Mob Wars. A year later, I find that I am an addict–and I don’t want help.

Facebook is my connection to the world.

In the beginning, I spent way too much time saving the rainforest, raising money for St. Jude’s and playing Mob Wars.

Matt Cravey, FFA Advisor and Agriculture teacher at Dixie County High School suffered a stroke and other health complications this past summer and has been shuttling between hospital and nursing home in an all out effort to rehabilitate and get on the road to recovery. His wife, their three sons and extended family are working hard to see that Matt gets the care he needs.

As you can imagine, the medical costs are staggering and the family’s budget and insurance are nearly exhausted. Matt and his family need our prayers and financial support.

Raleigh is a quiet community nestled in farmland just east of Williston. Residents enjoy the solitude and keep to themselves. No one suspected that last week all that would change by the apparent abduction of a child and her pony by what authorities are calling an “alien life form.”

Got your attention? If I read that in my hometown paper, you can bet your bottom dollar I’d continue reading.

EMS assessments are changing this year. Historically, all property owners have paid the same annual amount of $75, regardless of their size or the frequency of calls. This meant that Wal-Mart paid the same assessed fee as a residential property owner. In an effort to be more equitable, a formula based on square footage for commercial, institutional and industrial/warehouse designated property was recommended by a company hired by the county to look at our assessment structure.

The swine flu is not coming–it’s already here. The question now is what will happen when our kids all get together when school opens Aug. 24. Will there be an explosion of new cases then, or later in the fall when the traditional flu spreads through society? A vaccine for the swine flu will not be ready until mid-October and right now that vaccine will take two shots given 21-28 days apart.